Achieving Speaking Confidence

The First Ten Seconds

The first 10 seconds

Recent psychological research suggests that people take 1/10th of a second to form an opinion of us, based purely on appearance.

Like a lot of behavioural research, this may only apply to very specific circumstances. However the fact remains that people judge us very quickly. If you want to be a quality speaker a lot of work has to be done in the first few seconds.

When called onto the speaking platform, proceed as follows.

1 to 2 seconds

Smile and walk on to the platform with your chin level, eyes forward and with a confident, self-assured but not cocky or arrogant stride. You don’t want to look like you are marching, but avoid dropping your shoulders or slouching.

If there is a Chairperson or MC on stage, focus on them initially and ignore the audience. Turning your head to the audience will look a little egotistical and disrespectful towards the chair.

If there is no Chairperson, nod your head gently towards the audience as you walk to centre stage.

3 to 4 seconds

Greet the Chairperson with a firm but not aggressive handshake, make eye contact but don’t force it.

Break the hand shake and allow the Chairperson to depart the stage.

(Obviously if no Chairperson is present you skip this bit.)

5 Seconds

Turn to audience, plant your fleet about shoulder width apart and gently, without being obvious, transfer your weight to the balls of your feet.

This will stop you from rocking or swaying.

6 to 9 Seconds

Keep smiling (make it a genuine smile and not a beauty pageant smile) make eye contact with several members of the audience in different parts of the room.

Don’t be in a rush to speak. This quiet pause gives the audience time to check you out and decide that they like you.

If you have made the confident smiling walk to the centre, acknowledged the chair and let the audience see your smile they will almost certainly like you.

10 seconds

Make a fingers together, palms forward, open armed gesture and greet the audience with a clear confident voice.

Clearly you can’t time all of this exactly but work on the different stages and relative timing, especially the 4 second quiet pause, and most of your presentations will go really well.